Something Grown Together
by ObsoleteViolet
Summary: On a lonely Sunday night, Booth has an unexpected visit from his partner. Set after Princess in the Pear; and spoilers for Season 3 and 4.


Something Grown Together

Disclaimer: I do not own Bones, or take credit for its sheer awesomeness. 

Title: From the song 'Something Grown Together' by The Flobots. Very good band, in a very Rage-Against-The-Machines-Activist kind of way. Little Clip?

"_**But they were pleased to see these two young souls become mates**_

_**To provide light for a song that was sung right in one take**_

_**Because there's no need to rehearse when you and your partner get in the zone**_

_**And you can't memorize words you've always known**_

_**Something grown together."**_

Rating: K+

Spoilers: Man in the Outhouse, The Princess in the Pear; basically the key elements from season 3, and season 4, to do with Brennan father. Therefore, if you haven't seen all of season 3 or 4, I wouldn't read this. Unless you want to spoil it for yourself, then knock your socks off.

Note: I was thinking about something I learned in 'Individuals and Families in a Diverse Society' class (AKA sociology class), and it got me thinking about a storyline. Not quite sure how I found time to writing this between my math homework and analyzing Alias Grace, but all that matters is that I got it done. Enjoy! :D

*

It was three days after the 'Excalibur' case had finished, and Booth was still alone, moping around his apartment. Though he complained, his _**'caring'**_ partner told him to relax for the weekend so he could come back to work on the Monday. So at Seven O'clock on Sunday night, Seeley was bored out of his mind, to the point where he decided to get some of the paper work done from old cases. _Only a man surrounded by complete boredom could be driven to work_, he told himself, setting yet another completed file on the coffee table.

Slowly (and the _normal _definition of 'slowly', not the painful, snail-like movements he had been making for a week), he got up off the couch and padded into his kitchen, in search of something to eat. Opening the fridge door, he hung his head at the sight of having nearly no food. Unless he wanted to eat a jar of olives for dinner, he would have to order in. Going to the sink and getting himself a glass of water, he went back to the living room and picked the phone up of the couch. Booth dialed the number of his favourite pizza joint downtown, while going to his bedroom to search for money.

"Malo's Pizza, can we take your order?"

"Yes, I'll have a large-" The doorbell in his apartment rang out, and he popped his head out from his bedroom. Whoever it was didn't open the door, and he walked to the door and looked through the peep hole, he smiled.

"Sir? Are you ordering a pizza or not?" Booth completely forgot about the phone, and hurriedly opened the door while pulling the phone back to his ear.

"Sorry, not any more." Hanging up the phone, he grabbed the bag from his prized guest.

"Was I interrupting something?" Bones' asked, balancing a box of Pizza with one hand, while taking off her jacket with the other.

"Nothing at all Bones, I'm glad you're here." Booth smiled brightly, quickly grabbing the pizza box and lifting the lid.

"Before you say anything, I was going to get the whole pizza Vegetarian, but I thought better than to make you eat green peppers, even if I bought the pizza-"

"I would have eaten it anyways, but getting half pepperoni officially makes you the best partner." His partner rolled her eyes while she laughed, finding an empty hanger in his closet to hang up her jacket with. He brought the pizza and the bag of pop into his kitchen, and quickly grabbed dishes and glasses for the two of them. He inwardly thanked himself on cleaning the house the day before, and while it was out of boredom, at least it wasn't the sty it was earlier in the week. Brennan walked around to the kitchen, and they both grabbed some pizza and a drink, before heading back to the couch. Booth loved that he didn't have to worry about trivial things like putting on music, or flipping on the TV, because the two of them always had something to talk about, whether it be about cases or not.

"Wow Booth," her blue eyes went wide and she playfully glanced at him while picking up a case file, "You might have more paperwork done than me."

"I doubt it." He laughed while shaking his head. It might have been the smell, or maybe the fact that his house was void of food, but as soon as he sat down, his mouth nearly began to water from hunger. But, no matter how much he just wanted to devour his food, he took a clean bite to be polite with his female guest. Though he couldn't help the sigh he let out after he took his first bite. "Bones, where did you get this? It's amazing!"

"It's just pizza." She said, eyeing him from the opposite side off the couch. Slipping off her shoes, she pulled up her legs and sat crossed legged, facing Booth. "And I got it at that place you told me about last week."

"Oh, you're a life-saver Bones." He said before giving her another smile and biting into his pizza again. Looking up, he could see her head tilt slightly, as if to question him, but she just took a bite of her pizza and didn't over analyze what he had said.

"Like I said, it's just pizza."

*

One hour later, their dirty dishes were in the dishwasher and the only good drink in Booth's house, a bottle of red wine, was opened. As per usual, Bones made herself at home; when Booth leaned back on his couch and put his feet upon the coffee table, she followed suit by pulling her legs up on the couch, bending them slightly so they wouldn't be right on Booth, but touching his leg. The lamp in his living room provided a low light for the two of them; the only light coming in from the windows was the street lamp near his apartment. The two partners laughed with each other, reminiscing on one of their many sessions with Sweets, before a comfortable silence fell on them both. Brennan swirled the wine around in her glasses, as if to mix the flavour even more, while Booth held his glass lightly on his leg while his head fell back gently on the back of the couch and he closed his eyes. Booth was lonelier than he knew, but he also knew that if he could pick anyone to keep him company after three days of isolation, it certainly wouldn't have been his skinny, blond fellow agent. No, he could always count on his partner, **his best friend**, to brighten up his day just that much. He appreciated her annoying protective streaks, even if it had to do with hurting his back, and he loved it when she stopped by unannounced. He turned his head towards her, opening his eyes and watched her swirl her wine in silence. She didn't have to look up to know his eyes were on her, so she kept her eyes on her wine when she began.

"Booth?" He smiled, but didn't move at all.

"Yes Bones?" She continued to watch the deep red liquid in her glass, hoping that she could drive away the nerves.

"Am I going to be lonely forever?" Her voice was quiet, but Booth heard her just fine. He sat up properly, angling his body enough to face her.

"Bones, why-"

"I just, I wonder what I see in all these guys Booth, really." He was taken back, and squinted in her direction.

"What?" He couldn't help but ask, and after taking another sip of wine, Brennan placed her glasses on the table.

"These men that I 'date', they are all so, just so anomalous for me." She finally looked up to him, and watched his confused face.

"I thought you were all about 'fulfilling biological urges', Bones?"

"I thought I was too," Brennan murmured, crossing her legs once more, "but, if there is something I have learned while working with you Booth, it's that it is all about what is underneath that matters." He finally knew why she came over tonight; though his health and friendship were important, when she needs to talk to someone, someone who will understand and give her a straight forward answer, she comes to him.

"So other than in the bedroom, you and that Mark guy never hit it off?" He couldn't help the smirk that appeared on his face, but she ignored it.

"I find that I rarely 'hit it off' with any of my companions; not Mark, or Jason, or even Sully for that matter." Just mentioning his old friends name was enough for Booth to crave another large drink of his red wine, but he held himself back, and continued to watch Bones. "And I am sure if this were to come up in a session, Sweets would mention something about my father, and how it will somehow change the relationships for the rest of my life." She rolled her eyes in annoyance, while Booth watched her fingers fiddle with the end of her shirt.

"You know Bones, they say that most girls look for a guy who reminds them of their father, because that is how they see the 'ideal man'." Her eyebrow rose, as she glared at him from the opposite side of the couch.

"So I should date a murderer?" Booth let out a sigh, and shook his head.

"No, Bones-"

"Then I should date someone who lies and has spent time in jail?"

"That's not what I meant-"

"Then you meant I look for someone who will abandon me?" Booth finally reached out and caught her fiddling hands in his.

"Bones, that is not what I meant. Because you and I both know that you are not going to look for those things in a guy. I was just telling you what I knew; you don't have to take it personally." She met his eyes, and slowly smiled at him.

"Sorry Booth, I just got carried away."

"It's fine, no harm no foul." Booth grabbed his wine off the table, and resumed his previous position on the couch. He knew that his partner was mulling things over right now, and he left her to her thoughts for a good reason. Brennan picked up her glass of wine, and casually got off the couch, only to sit back down beside Booth's legs on his coffee table. She was directly in front of him, holding her glass lightly and staring directly at him.

"What about you?" She asked, innocently enough. Booth's eyes opened and he pulling his head back up to look at her.

"What about me?" He asked, casually crossing his arms over his chest.

"Well, wouldn't it make sense that I would see you as the ideal man?" All the sudden, Booth heart started beating faster than he would have liked, and he had to tell himself to keep cool. He let go of the breath he had been holding for far too long, and his eyebrows nearly connected to his hairline.

"Pardon?"

"Well, since we have been partnered, you have been the predominant male figure in my life. I trust you, you are dependable, and a loving father. So wouldn't that entitle you to be the ideal man? Let alone the fact that you are fit for reproduction, and that you are attractive. And surely I respect you more than I would my father, or any other man. So wouldn't I try to find someone like **you**, instead of like my father?"

Booth took his feet off his coffee table, making sure not to touch his partner while he did it. He sat up, and leveled himself out with her, and pulled his face close to hers. She had that look in her eyes; the one she does when she is dawning on something for the first time, a new scientific discovery. This was also the same look he felt himself receiving every few months, when they would get closer and closer to that line. He knew he was fully willing to step past the line for her, but Booth had to wait until she understood. She had to see it too, the loving looks, the quickly beating hearts, and the bright smile; she had to see it, and feel it, to know this was real. And she had to know he was never going to leave her. Once she saw all these things, once she figured them in with her scientific reasoning and stubborn perception of human feeling, he would gladly step beyond the line for her, anytime and anywhere. Every day, she grew closer to the line, and tonight, on this lonely Sunday evening, she has reached the line.

"Not someone like me Bones," Booth replied, his hand coming up to tuck her silky hair behind her ear with a smile on his lips. "No, not someone like me. **Just me**." His hand rested on her cheek, his thumb running over her fragile, porcelain skin. Looking into her eyes, he saw the wheels turning, as she tried to comprehend the situation, and he would wait for her, as he always did.

When she gasped, Booth knew she know understood. She worked out that no one would ever be like him, that there was only him and her and what they had together. No one else would be as trusted by her as he was, no one would ever save her as many times as he would, no one would ever care for her as much as he would. Her emotions on high, pulling her heart into overdrive, she placed her own hand over his.

"Booth, no one could ever replace you."

"And no one **will** ever replace me, because I'm not going anywhere." His voice was soft like hers, not wanting to push her into any conclusions that she couldn't find on her own. But surely, by now, she must know he isn't going to leave her; he was unsure of how long he would last without her. That _'thing'_ that they had, their so-called partnership was his life now. He probably could leave her even if he tried. That sharpness in her eyes was glowing, and when her eyes connected with his, she smiled. Leaning forward, she quickly pressed her lips against his for a sweet kiss. Her lips tasted of red wine, only making her lips more luscious than usual. Pulling away, he held her hands in his and waited for her reaction. The only thing he saw was her bright smile and sparkling eyes.

"And we are just partners, right?" Booth was caught off guard by her question, and let out a deep laugh, his head falling backwards. Brennan laughed with him, but still held onto his hands; her lips still tingled from their small kiss. When he looked back at her, he stood up and pulled her up with him, only to wrap his arms around her waist. Trailing kisses across her jaw, Booth gingerly made his way to her mouth, giving her yet another quick kiss.

"We've always been just partners." With that, Brennan wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down for another kiss, this one hard and demanding. The rain began outside that living room window, but neither partner noticed, as they tumbled down onto the couch with one another.


End file.
